Ramblings.

Life after work looks something like me cooking dinner and watching Netflix or Son's of Anarchy until I take myself to bed (around 9 every night). Blame it on the time change.  P.S - When will I finally be okay with it being dark so early?? I think never. Whatever the reason, I think I need to find some inspiration. Sitting at home after a long day at work, isn't very inspiring. I want stuff to write about. When I was planning our wedding I had so much going on that I didn't have much time to just binge watch my shows. Therefore, I had more ideas for blogging and I felt more productive. I'm ready to find something I'm passionate about and work toward that.

On another note...

I am pretty excited though, that next week is Thanksgiving! We can finally put up our Christmas tree on Friday. (note...after Thanksgiving) In my family we have always put our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving, and I'm sticking to that tradition. It seems as though Thanksgiving is being completely overlooked, and I feel sad for it. So we still have our pumpkins and autumn decor out. Probably the only one but since it's still at least in the 70's every afternoon, it doesn't seem like California is ready for winter yet.

We also have a fun trip planned for the weekend after Thanksgiving that I cannot wait for. If you didn't know, Joe is a major Lakers fan. I'm talking obsessed. Even though we only live a couple hours outside of Los Angeles, he has never been to a game. For our wedding, one of his good friends got us tickets to see a game! He actually cried, but don't tell him I said that. So...Thanksgiving weekend we're going to LA to see the Lakers play, and we decided to do the whole buy a day get 2015 free at Universal Studios Hollywood.

We're calling this a mini honeymoon until we can go on a real one. I'm totally okay with that because I love theme parks, and I can't wait to see Joe's face watching his favorite team play.

What is my niche?

I know that since becoming engaged, wedding posts have flooded my pages. When I first started this blog it was going to be much more beauty related, and some lifestyle. I started out reading beauty blogs and watching beauty videos on YouTube and thought I wanted to do the same exact thing. After blogging for a little over a year now, I feel that my gears have definitely switched. I find myself writing lifestyle and wedding posts more than anything else. While I still absolutely love my beauty products and of course my nail polish collection, it just isn't the same for me to write about. While I will still share my favorite products, monthly subscriptions, or other beauty related things here and there I just don’t really consider myself a full on beauty blogger.

I have made connections with girls who write lifestyle posts, because I feel like I have some insight on their life. I have made relationships from blogging because they share posts about their private lives, they blog about things that distant friends and family may not even know about – which makes blogland so. awesome. I know my favorite bloggers pets, husbands, and even how much wine they drink a night. Don't get me wrong, I still obsessively watch my favorite beauty videos on YouTube and keep up with the blogs, but I just couldn't commit to being a self proclaimed beauty blogger. The girls that are, are super dedicated because that's really hard work. Maybe I don't really have one particular category that I fall into, and I think that's okay. Maybe I just wanna blog about a little of everything. 

Within the next couple of months I hope to re-brand my entire blog with a new name of course. Big mistake on my part knowing my last name could change in the future: but it is an excuse to brainstorm new names for this little blog of mine.

So while I may not have one particular category that I fall under with blogging or a “niche” per say, I hope that you will stick with me.

Wedding Wednesday - Who's gonna marry us?

It's officially been over a week since my last post, and I'm glad to be back for wedding Wednesday. Unfortunately this post has no pretty pictures or any great ideas, but it's a true story and I wanted to share. 

Who's going to marry us? Well that's a good question considering we only have five months until our wedding. I've been a little picky about our officiant and here's why..

Have you ever went into a business with the money in your account ready to put down a deposit, and then get totally let down? Well that's what happened to us last night..

A few weeks ago when I attended a bridal show with my mom I received a business card from a very nice lady who is a wedding officiant. Her booth was set up very nicely and she seemed like a good fit. Since we aren't members of a church at the moment I thought I would set up an appointment to talk about our vision for our ceremony and go over the details. I email the women and we set the appointment. Joe and I are always a little early so we showed up about 30 minutes early thinking we could just look around before our appointment. When we arrived the door was locked, the lights were off, and all that you could identify that we were even in the correct place was a little paper sign with the name of the business on it.. So we waited. 

I don't mind waiting, but when I wait for a doctors appointment usually I'm indoors and in a chair waiting. Not here. We were waiting outside in 99 degree weather - and I wish I were exaggerating. Our appointment time came and went so I decide to email the women to make sure she was coming. No response. 

Finally a lady shows up that is not the same person I met at the bridal show, and this lady seems rushed. It takes her trying about ten different keys before she can figure out how to open the door. Mind you, we still didn't receive an apology for being late. She lets us in the doorway and I see that the business is very filthy. I'm talking dust bunnies - buy a swiffer or something! She doesn't even ask us to sit down and talk, we just stand in the doorway. Finally she asks why we were here....at this point I am ready to leave. I mean really?? She literally just stood there and asked absolutely no questions regarding our wedding before I asked if she had a brochure of prices and details - guess what? They didn't have any. I politely told this women that we are not interested and we are leaving, and she didn't seem to care one bit. 

Rant over. 

Moral of the story is, make sure you check out everyone you use for your wedding - and be picky!! Don't settle for people who aren't passionate about what they are doing or don't seem to care about your special day. Some people I have emailed don't even want to meet in person before the wedding, no way I'm falling for that. 

I will definitely be meeting personally from now on before signing any contracts or putting down any type of deposit. Customer service is everything! We're meeting with a photographer this Friday, so cross your fingers!

Any brides out there have problems with vendors or people involved in your wedding?

Hello 2014!

Happy New Years Eve Everyone!

 

I had a really hard time trying to remember everything that happened this year, maybe I am getting old ;). Anyway, after looking back at pictures I realized how great this year was and how many good things really did happen, and how blessed I am with the support system that I have in my life. 

 

I have a lot of changes coming in the new year that start so soon. One including changing my career choice to something I am so excited and passionate about, and that is becoming a first grade teacher! I start school in the middle of January and I am nervous and super excited all at the same time.

 

I got engaged this year which is huge, and I have a wedding to plan this year!

 

Here are some highlights of my year in pictures:

 

 

 

I turned 21 in February! 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2013: I was chosen to attend Generation Beauty in Los Angeles!

 

May 31 2013: my baby sister Meagan graduated high school!

 

 

 

 

 

October 2013: My mom got bambino/beans/bambi - all of the names we call him. He is now apart of our family and I love him so much!

 



 

Cant forget about Pepper and how much he has grown and how many new tricks he has learned!

 

September 2013: Joe and I moved into our very own first place!

 

 

 

September 2013:

I got to host a lash bash from Benefit Cosmetics for me and all of my friends!

 

October 2013 - The county fair came to town, like it does every year. We watched Dustin Lynch preform and ate fair food of course!

 

October 2013 - A trip to Santa Monica for the day was absolutely perfect and much needed.

 

November 2013 - I won tickets to see the Zac Brown Band, if you don't know I love country music so this is so fun! We even got eat and greet passes where we got to eat with the whole band!

 

 

I was engaged on December 15th 2013 - This was the highlight of my year, Joe is my best friend and I couldn't imagine anything better happening this year.

 

A few of my 2014 new years resolutions:

 

~Focus and vamp up my blog.

~Make major progress on wedding planning

~Read more often

~Focus on my health

~Find a job as a preschool teacher while I continue school

~Save money, and spend less

~Start our wedding fund

~Grow my blog following to hopefully 750 followers!

~Take more pictures

~Go to Disneyland

~Go back to Vegas and try to not chain myself there so I don't have to leave.

~Grow in faith, pray more and worry less.

 

Cheers to the new year and all of the resolutions and good changes to come! 

 

XO, Vivian

 

 

 

 

October Favorites!

Hey everyone! I cannot believe how fast this year has wen't by, and now it's almost time to for Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas shopping! If it was socially acceptable I would decorate for Christmas now... anyway I hope you all had a great month, and here are some of my favorite things and moments from the month of October! 

Fashion wise I have been in love with chunky sweaters, I recently bought a few and I love them! The weather here in California isn't quite ready for them yet, but soon enough I will be wearing those! Scarves have been another all time favorite, I will pair a scarf with pretty much any outfit. I feel like they add so much to a casual outfit. 

Onto beauty products, this month I have been using my peek-a-bright-eyes kit by Benefit, It literally has everything you need for an eye look. Hervana by benefit has been another absolute favorite for me, this is the perfect blush for my skin tone. 

Favorite perfume of the month; Noir Tease from Victorias Secret!

Favorite TV show; American Horror Story Coven, this season has been so great!

Favorite moment #1; My mom and sisters got a puppy in Ocotber and I love him. His name is Bambino or Bambi! My pup doesn't love him quite yet, but we're working on that he's too cute not to love!

Favorite moment #2: Pumpkin carving with my favorite people! We had everyone over to our apartment to carve / paint pumpkins last weekend and it was so much fun. We also had amazing BBQ thanks to my momma. 

I had a great month, and I hope all of you did as well! I am really looking forward to the holidays this year! 

~Vivian~

~Dreams~

So this post is going to be a little bit more personal, mostly because I like reading those types of blogs and not just the same old beauty posts. Don't get my wrong I love those too, but I feel like you can really connect when you find out personal things about them. 

I have a lot of dreams and sometimes that makes it hard to narrow things down and say that's exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life. But I do know one thing; I have worked with kids since I was young from babysitting, nannying, working at a camp, to my more recent job of  being an after school teacher for first grade. I know that being a teacher is something that I was meant to do. 

I however do have other passions such as blogging, the beauty industry, etc. I am a very independent worker, and love to be my own "boss" I know when I have drive for something I can take it to the next level to succeed. So who knows where life will take me; career wise!

I have the best boyfriend who I know supports me in everything that I do, and likewise for him. It makes me so happy knowing that one day I'll marry my best friend and we can enjoy all of life and the future adventures to come! Almost four years strong and I know with him by my side we can do anything! 

I feel like having people who will build you up and help you succeed in life is so important as well, don't hang around people that will drag you down with them. Don't listen to the negative and love your life!

So I really hope that I didn't bore anyone with this; but really build your dreams and have goals, because it's so important to find in life what you love and what you are passionate about! 

Pinterest quotes section just gets me! 

~Vivian